Toilet paper might be the most invisible thing in your home, right up until the moment it isn’t there. And while it quietly does its job day in and day out, the truth is: not all rolls are created equal. Some come with softness. Some come with strength. And some, like conventional toilet paper, come with a side of deforestation.
So how do you choose a roll that's easy on your bum and the planet?
Well, that's where eco-friendly toilet paper rolls in. From rolls made with recycled materials to fast growing bamboo, sustainable toilet paper is changing the game without relying on virgin trees or sacrificing your comfort.
Today, we're giving you the 101 on eco toilet paper so you can choose the best option for your bum and make a difference that goes beyond the bathroom.
Table of Contents
What Makes Toilet Paper Eco-Friendly?
Recycled Toilet Paper: Turning Waste Into Something Wonderful
Bamboo Toilet Paper: The Fast Growing Alternative
Comparing Recycled vs. Bamboo Toilet Paper
Sustainability Beyond the Roll: Packaging, Shipping & Impact
What Makes Toilet Paper Eco-Friendly?
At first glance, toilet paper seems too insignificant to make a difference. But like most things we use every day, its story starts long before it reaches the bathroom shelf.
Instead of relying on freshly cut trees, sustainable toilet paper is made from recycled materials or fast-growing plants like bamboo. Bamboo renews itself quickly, which means less reliance on forests and fewer habitats lost along the way. The result feels familiar, works just as well, and carries a lighter footprint from start to finish.
Now compare that to “regular” toilet paper, which is made by cutting down countless trees every single day.
Turning those trees into paper requires resource-heavy processes that drain water, consume huge amounts of electricity and involve chemical bleaching to achieve that “perfect” look. It’s a production line that takes a real toll on forests and ecosystems – and all for something that’s used once and flushed away in seconds.
Sustainable toilet paper rolls rethink this entire cycle. By using fibres that are already in circulation or that grow back quickly, they avoid the destructive pattern of take, use, toss, repeat. It also helps preserve habitats, while chlorine-free production keeps waterways cleaner for the fish and, the people who depend on them.
Even the wrapping plays its part. Most eco-conscious brands use paper instead of plastic, helping cut down the tonnes of packaging that end up buried or bobbing along our coastlines.
Eco-friendly toilet paper isn’t just a matter of materials. It is the sum of smarter sourcing, responsible production and packaging that doesn’t stick around forever.
Recycled Toilet Paper: Turning Waste Into Something Wonderful
“Recycled toilet paper doesn’t always sound glamorous, but in our opinion, it’s one of the best ways to wipe. Made from clean, post-consumer recycled paper like office memos and newspapers, each roll gives yesterday’s scraps a brand-new purpose (and your bathroom a smaller footprint in the process).
These fibres are sanitised, pulped and pressed into soft sheets that meet the same standards as any traditional toilet paper, just without the environmental hangover.
By skipping the need for freshly cut forests, eco-friendly toilet paper made from recycled materials helps keep millions of trees standing tall. It also turns what would have been tossed aside (post-consumer paper) into something useful.
And because the fibres are already in existence, the production process demands less water and energy, which reduces carbon emissions from the start. Even the whitening process gets a thoughtful twist, using oxygen-based treatments instead of chlorine to keep waterways clearer and your conscience even cleaner.
And here’s the best part. Today’s recycled toilet paper doesn't feel like a compromise. Thanks to better fibre blending and triple-ply designs, they’re soft, strong and satisfyingly dependable. It's proof that comfort doesn’t need to cost the planet, and that sometimes, the smallest swaps make the biggest difference.
So whether you’re stocking your home, office or guest bathroom, recycled toilet paper offers a rare combination of practicality, gentleness and impact – one sheet at a time.
Bamboo Toilet Paper: The Fast-Growing Alternative
If recycled toilet paper rolls give waste a second chance, bamboo toilet paper offers something entirely different: a smarter place to start.
Instead of paper fibres, bamboo rolls start with a plant that grows at a pace most trees can't match. This is because bamboo is technically a grass, with some species shooting up several feet in just a few weeks. That speed means it's ready to harvest in just a few years, rather than the decades required for timber used in traditional toilet paper.
This rapid growth makes bamboo a renewable powerhouse. Once established, it demands far less water than tree farming, thrives without pesticides and regenerates from its own root system after each harvest. (Pretty cool, huh?)The result is a sustainable alternative that produces soft, strong rolls that break down naturally after use.
At Who Gives A Crap, we source our bamboo from small family farms in China's Sichuan region, where farmers plant it along their property borders as a supplemental income source.
This localised setup avoids the need for massive land clearing and keeps production close to where the bamboo actually grows, which reduces transport emissions long before a roll reaches your bathroom.
For anyone seeking eco-friendly toilet paper that skips virgin tree-based materials completely, bamboo paper delivers on both comfort and conscience. It's soft enough for sensitive skin, strong enough for a comfy wipe, and biodegradable enough to handle septic systems with ease.
Comparing Recycled vs. Bamboo Toilet Paper
Choosing between recycled toilet paper and bamboo toilet paper isn’t about good versus better; it’s about which kind of good fits your life. Both are proof that eco-friendly toilet paper can feel great while doing great, but they each have their own superpowers.
Recycled toilet paper champions the circular economy. It keeps materials in motion for a little longer, turning old office paper and mail into something useful again. Every roll keeps waste out of landfills and reduces the demand on virgin forests, which makes it a quiet hero for anyone who values waste reduction over waste creation.
Bamboo toilet paper, on the other hand, starts fresh with a fast-growing plant that regenerates on its own. It’s the go-to choice for those who prefer a renewable, tree-free source that feels close to traditional toilet paper but with a cleaner conscience. Think of it as the high-quality, low-impact option for homes that love the idea of sustainable luxury. Ooh, fancy.
Whichever way you wipe, both rolls are plasticfree, ethically sourced and delivered with carbon neutral shipping. The “right” roll simply depends on what matters most to you: reducing waste or rethinking what sustainability can feel like. Either way, your bathroom wins!
Sustainability Beyond the Roll: Packaging, Shipping & Impact
Choosing eco-friendly toilet paper is a great start, but what it’s wrapped in – and how it arrives at your doorstep – matters just as much.
Packaging is often the quiet culprit of household waste, which is why ours is made from 100% recycled materials. Each wrapper and box is designed to protect your rolls (more on that here) without wrapping them in plastic, proving that good design can look great and still do good.
But the sustainability story doesn’t stop at the box. Every order you place ships carbon neutral, meaning we measure and offset the emissions created through transport by investing in forestry based projects. It’s our way of making sure convenience never comes at the planet’s expense.
And then there’s the part we’re most proud of: the impact beyond your bathroom. We donate 50% of our profits to help fund clean water and sanitation projects through organisations like WaterAid Australia.
That means every roll you unwrap contributes to something much bigger: healthier communities, cleaner waterways, better supply chains, smarter packaging and a global mission that’s helps provide access to life changing resources.
FAQs
Is bamboo toilet paper really sustainable?
Yes, and not just by a little. Bamboo grows fast (we’re talking metres in weeks). It needs no harmful chemicals, and it regenerates from its own root system after each harvest. That makes it one of the most renewable resources on earth. No replanting. No deforestation. Just a fast growing solution to a very slow growing problem.
At Who Gives A Crap, our bamboo toilet paper is sourced from small family farms, not massive monoculture plantations. We only use FSC Certified bamboo that’s not eaten by pandas and never cut from ancient forests.
Does recycled toilet paper feel rough or low-quality?
Not even close. Today’s recycled toilet paper is a far cry from the scratchy stuff of decades past. Our rolls are made from soft, safe recycled paper, pressed into 3-ply sheets that are strong enough to hold up and gentle enough to keep your caboose comfy.
It’s made from clean recycled paper like office supplies and textbooks, and pulped at high temperatures for hygiene and performance. Yes, the fibres are a little more “experienced”, but that’s what makes it great for the planet. You get comfort without compromise, and your bathroom skips the environmental guilt of regular toilet paper.
Is eco-friendly toilet paper safe for septic systems?
Absolutely. Both bamboo and recycled rolls are designed to break down quickly, which makes them friendly to septic systems, composting toilets, and even trickier setups found in older homes or rural areas.
Recycled rolls tend to disperse fastest because the fibres have already been processed once, while bamboo breaks down cleanly thanks to its long, consistent fibre structure. Either way, eco-friendly toilet paper avoids additives that linger or clog, unlike some traditionally normal toilet paper options that pack in glues, lotions or even synthetic fibres. Yikes!
If your septic system is unusually sensitive, a quick check with your manufacturer never hurts, but for most households, these rolls are as dependable as they are sustainable.
Why are plastic-free rolls important?
Plastic sticks around for centuries, so avoiding it wherever possible is a small but mighty win. At Who Gives A Crap, our wrappers are made from plastic-free, recyclable paper.
Packaging might seem like an afterthought, but it’s often one of the biggest contributors to household waste.
By using recycled materials for our wrappers and boxes, we’re reducing single-use plastic and making sure the outside of our eco-friendly toilet paper is just as responsible as the inside. It’s better for oceans, better for wildlife, and frankly, looks better on the shelves in your bathroom. Unwrap, use, recycle, repeat.
How does Who Gives A Crap help people and the environment?
Every purchase supports more than your household supply; it supports our mission to help everyone, everywhere gain access to clean water and sanitation.
We donate 50% of profits to trusted organisations like WaterAid Australia, funding WASH projects that improve health, safety and dignity for communities worldwide. At the same time, we reduce pressure on forests by using recycled paper and responsibly grown bamboo instead of fresh timber.
Pair that with carbon neutral shipping, thoughtful packaging and ongoing efforts to shrink our footprint, and you get eco-friendly toilet paper that supports people and the planet from start to finish.
Make the Toilet Paper Swap that Treats Your Bum and the Planet More Kindly
By now, you’ve seen that eco-friendly toilet paper is more than a bathroom upgrade. It’s a small daily choice that creates a meaningful ripple, whether you reach for recycled fibres or the best bamboo toilet paper for your home.
Each roll skips the need for virgin trees, supports thoughtful production and pushes us one step closer to a future we can all feel better about.
If you are ready to make your loo a little kinder, your home a little smarter and your footprint a little lighter, we would love to be part of that journey with you. Explore our recycled and bamboo rolls today and choose the eco-friendly toilet paper option that suits your life.